Clutch mechanism for railway-car and locomotive wheels.



No. 390,";60. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

an. DONOVAN. I CLUTCH MEGHANISM FOR RAILWAY CAR AND LOGOMOTIVB WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6,1907.

2 SHBBTS-SHEBT 1- M i 1%.; 390;760. PATENTED'JUNE 16;1908. I J. 1). DONOVAN. GLUTGHME'GHANISM FORRAILWAY CAR AND LOGOMOTIVE WHEELS.

APPLIGATIOK FILED SEPT;6,1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Parana orrron.

JAMES D. DONOVAN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM DAVIS AND ONE-THIRD TO MILTON P. DAVIS, OF KANQAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY-CAB. arm nooorro'rrvn WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

Patented June 16, 12-68.

Application liled'septembcr 6, 1997. Serial No. 391,592.

'Missouri, have invented certain new and use-' i'ul lrnprovementsin Clutch Mechanism for Railway Car and Locomotive Wheels, of

v hichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to clutchmechanism for railway car and locomotive wheels and seeks to provide a simple and effective form of clutch mechanism which may be mounted lireetly on the wheel and wheel axle and controlled by fluid pressure for connecting motors or the like to the wheel axle.

Railway car and locomotive wheels are rigidly secured to'the Wheel axles and the axles are provided with suitable journal bearings that are connected by springs to the car truck or frame. It is essential that the car wheels and axle shall be yieldingly connected to the truck or frame so that the wheels-may follow the irregularities of the track and at'the same time yieldingly supportthe truck or frame. For this reason motors, pumps and the like, which Za re coupled to the wheel axle, must be so moujiited as to maintainnparallel relation with lithe wheel axle at all times.

The present invention seeks to provide: an

' improved clutch mechanism which is mojtfnted directly on the wheel andwheel axle"together with suitable fluid-pressure me. for

: operating the same so that motors, pjjinps and the like mounted on or in parallolitelation with the Wheel a-xle, may be readilyjfconirectedand disconnected therefrom at? de' sired. fit is customary to gear electriclmm tors difectly to the wheel axle but by providing a suitable friction clutch mechanism much smaller motors may be employed, particularly in hilly country, than would otherwise be necessary since the motor may be' started when uncoupled from the axle and the car wheel and axle which will occupy a small amount of space. As stated,-it is usual to mount electric motors directly upon the wheel axles, and as the space-between the .thrown into operation to move the full load van'd the truck frame.

wheels is necessarily limited and largely occupied by the motor, it is highly desirable to provide a clutch mechanism which will occupy as little room as possible.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation of a motor truck for railway cars to which the improved clutch is applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 4 through the car wheels and axle and through the improved clutch mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line a@ of Fig. look.- ing in the direction of the arrows 3. Fig. lis a viewin end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the cover of the journal box removed. Fig. 5 is a detail view in section on the line (Ira of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows 5. i

The car wheels 1 are as usual, rigidly secured to the'ends of the wheel axle 2. The end portions or journals 3 of the wheel axle extend beyond the wheels and are arranged within suitable journal boxes 4 having j ournal boxes 5 of any suitable form. The j ournal boxes are as usual, provided on their ends with swinging cover plates 6 and are mount-. ed to slide in guide-ways upon the truck or frame of the car. In the form shown, the journal boxes are mounted to slide in guideways 7 'on the truck frame 8 and carry the vertical posts- 9, each of which is provided with a set of leaf springs 10% The truck frame is supported from the springs 10 by the links 11. In the form shown, a center bearinglZ for the car frame 13 is supported by springs'l l interposed between the bearing It will .be understood that the invention may be applied to other forms'of trucks. I

The body of the car wheel 1 is'bor d out to form a circular series of short cylin ers. 15 within whichjare' arranged the pistons 16. Each of the istons is'provided with a packing 17 held in place by a ring 18 secured to the piston by bolts 19. yided with a short rod 20 projecting out- Each piston is prowardly through a cap plate 21 which is secured to the body of the car wheel by bolts 22 and a cup-shaped-piece or thiinble 23 extends .overthe end of. the piston rod and is threaded upon. the cap plate 2].. The 'cap plate and thimble 23 are cored out to receive a coiledspring 24 which extends about the rod2'0 and between a lip or shoulder .25 on the cap plate and a cross pin '26 in theouter end of the rod 20. These springs normally hold the pistons 16 in their outward or retracted position. K

A clutch disk 27 is loosely mounted upon the hub 28 of. the car wheel and is held in place by a collar 29 mounted on the axle and secured to the hub of the car wheel by bolts smaller than the bore 34- but is provic ed with enlarged ribs-or shoulders 35 snug l" flitting the bore and a stuffing box 36 is arranged in the end of the here about the tube and is secured. to the axle by bolts 37. A packing 38 of suitable material is held in place between the stuffing box 36 and one of the shoulders on the tube or pipe 33 so as to prevent leaking around the tube or pipe.

The tube and axle are provided with communicating transverse passages 39 and 40 'and the passage 4-0 opens .into an annular groove or passage 41 formed on the inner face of the hub of the car wheel. From this annular passage a series of passages (see Fig. 5) leadto the outer ends of the several cylinders 15.

At its outer end the pipe or tube 33 is provided with a laterally projecting portion 43 which extends outwardly through the side of the journal box 4;, and a flexible pipe 44. connects the same with a pipe 45 on the car frame. Pipe 45 leads to a valve 46, which is preferably located at the motormans position on the car and which is, in turn, connected to a suitable source of fluid under pressure so that by shifting the valve the motor-man may at any time introduce fluid under pressure to the cylinders 15 of the car wheel and shift the pistons 16 thereon to securely engage the members of the friction clutch.

In the form shown, a gear 47 is secured to the clutch disk 27 and meshes with a gear 48 on the drive shaft 49 of a motor 50. The motor frame is mounted directly on the axle atone end and at its other end is provided with a lug 51 resting on. the truck frame. The motor frame is time free to move up and downwi'th the wheel axle and at all times the The tube 33 is somewhat claim as new and motor shaft 49 remains in parallel relation "ith the wheel axle 2. The clutch mechanism occupies but little space upon the wheel axle arrzl leaves ample room for the motor mechanism. The wheel axle 2, although rotatable and'lree to move to a slight extent in vertical direction relatively to the car truck and frame, is nevertheless provided with an effective friction clutch mechanism for connecting' and disconnecting the motor and the wheel axle, and effective means are provided for operating the clutch mechanism by fluid pressure. The tube 33 by which fluid. under pressure is introduced to set the clutch, is held against rotation in the end of the rotatable axle 2 but otherwise of course, moves with the axle. The stuliling box and packing arrangement e'll'ectively prevent leaking around the tube. The valve 46 should be provided with means whereby the pipes and passages leading to the (ylinders 15, may be connected with a suitable source of fluid under pressure or with an exhaust to engage and disengage the members of the friction clutch. VVhen the cylinders and passages leading thereto are connected to theexhaust,

the springs 24 come into play to shift the pistons out of engagement with the clutch disk.

The clutch mechanism is of chief importance in connection withniotor cars and the like, but may be also advantageously employed in connection with axle operated pumps, dynamos and the like.- It is obvious that numerous changes maybe made in the details setforth without departure from the.

essentials of the invention.

Having described my'lnventlon, what I Patent, is-F- l. The combination with a car or locomotive. wheel and the axle whereon said wheel is iixed, of a gear loosely held on said axle adace1'itsaid wheel, cooperating clutch memhere, one iixed to said gear and the other desire to secure by Lettersv movably mounted on said wheel and means for operating said. movable clutch member.

2. The combination with a railway car or locomotive wheel and an axle. whereon the wheel is fixed, a gear loosely mounted on the wheel, a friction clutch forv coupling said gear and wheel and means for operating said clutch by fluid pressure, substantially as described. i

3. The combination with a railway car or locomotive Wheel and axle whereon the wheel is lixed, of a gear loosely mounted on the axle adjacent the wheel, cooperating'frlction clutch members connected respectively to the gear-.and to the wheel' and means for operating said clutch members by fluid presd rs formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, means for introducing fluid under pressure into said cylinders and a friction clutch operated thereby.

5. The combination of a railway car or locomotive Wheel and axle whereon the wheel is fixed, said wheel having one or more cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, said wheel and axle having passages leading to said cylinders, a tube inserted in the end of said axle and communicating with said passages for introducing fluid under pressure to said'cylinders, a stuffing box about said tube, and a clutch on said axle operated by said pistons, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a railway car or locomotive \wheel and axle whereon the wheel is fixed, said wheel having one 'or more cylinders formed therein, pistons insaid cylinders, a clutch friction-disk loosely mounted on said axle adjacent said wheel, cooperating friction clutch members mounted on said pistons and means for introducing fluid under pressure to said cylinders, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a car or locomotive wheel and axle whereon said wheel is fixed, said wheel having a series of cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, a clutchdislloosely mounted on the axle adjacent said wheel, said disk and said pistons having cor' perating frictional faces, and means for iniroducing fluid under pressure to said cylinders, substantially. as described.

8. '1 1e combination. of a car or locomotive wheel and axle whereon said wheel is fixed, said wheel having a series of cylinders formed therein, p stons in said cylinders, a clutchdisk loosely mounted on the axle adjacent said wheel, said disk and said pistons having interlocking ribs with inclined friction faces and means for introducing fiuidunder, pressure to said cylinders, substantially as de scribed. Y

9. The'combmation of a car or locomotive wheel and axle whereon said wheel is fixed,

said wheel having a series of cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, a clutchdisk loosely mounted on the axle adjacent said wheel, said disk and said pistons having cooperating friction faces and means for introducing fluid under pressure to said cylinders including passages formed in said wheel and axle and a tube inserted in the end of said axle but held against rotation and communicating with said passages and a stuffing box about said tube, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a railway car or locomotive wheel and axle whcreon the wheel is fixed, said wheel'having one or more cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, a friction clutch controlled thereby, members for introducingfluid under pressure to said cylinders for setting said clutch and springs for retracting said pistons, substantially as described. N

11. The combination of a railway truck,

wheel axle and wheels fixed thereto, journal boxes for said axle movably mounted in said truck, a clutch member 'loosely mounted on said axle, a cooperating clutch member mounted on one of said wheels and means for operating said clutch members by fluid pressure, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a railway truck, wheel axle and Wheels fixed thereto, journal boxes for said axle movably mounted in said truck, one of said whe'elshaving a series of cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cvl inders, a gear loosely mounted on said shaftadjacent said cylinders, a friction clutch controlled by said pistons for coupling said gear to said axle and means for introducing fluid under pressure to said cylinders, .substan tially as described.

13. The combination of a railway truck, wheel axle, wheels fixed thereto, journal boxes mounted to slide vertically in said truck and engaging said axle outside of said wheels, one of said wheels having a series of cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders, a gear loosely mounted on the axle adjacent said wheel, a friction clutch controlled by said istons for coupling said gear to the axle, sai wheel and axle having passages leading to said cylinders for admitting fluid under pressure thereto, a tube leading to said passage inserted inthe end of said axle but held against rotation and extending through one of said journal boxes and a stufiing box on the end of said axle about said tube, substantially as described.

14. The combination of a railway truck,

Wheel-axle, wheels fixed thereto, journal said axle, a shaft journaled in said frame, a

gear on said shaft meshing with the gear on the axle, cooperating-friction clutch members, one fixed to the gear on the axle and the other movably mounted on the adjacent wheel, and means for operating the movable clutch member, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a railway truck. wheel axle, wheels-fixed thereto, journal boxes for said axle iiiovably mounted in said truck, a gear loosely mounted on said axle adjacent one of said wheels. a frame hung on said axle, a shaft journaled in said frame, a gear on. said shaft meshing with the gear on the axle, a friction disk connected to the gear on the axle,j a cooperating clutch member mounted on the adjacent wheel and means for operating said clutch member by fluid wheel axle, wheels fixed thereto, journal boxes for said axle movably mounted in said' mo truck, a gear loosely mounted on said axle a jacent one of said wheels, a mo tor hung on the axle-and connected to the gear thereon,

cooperating friction clutch members, one fixed to the gear on the axle and the other movably mounted onthe adjacent wheel, and means for operating the movable clutch member, substantially as described.

17. The combination of a railway truck, Wheel axle, wheels fixed thereto, journal boxes loosely mounted on said axle adjacent 'one of said wheels, a motor hung on the axle boxes-for said axle movably mounted in said truck, a gear loosely mounted on said axle adjacent one of said wheels, a motor h ing on said axle and hav ng a motor shaft connected to said gear, a friction disk connected to said gear theiadjacent wheel having a series of cylinders formed therein and pistons in said cylinders having clutch members for engaging said disk, said wheel and axle having passages leading to said cylinders for admitting fluid under pressure thereto, substantially as described. i

19. The combination of a railway truck, wheel. axle, wheels fixed thereon, journal boxes for said axle movably mounted in said adjacent one of said wheels, a motor hung on said axle and having a motor shaft connected to said gear, a friction disk connected tosaid gear, the adjacent wheel having a-series of cylinders formed therein, pistons in said cylinders having clutch members for engagmg said friction d1sk,.sa1d Wheel and axlehaving passages leading to said cylinders for the admission of [had under pressure thereto,

a tube inserted in the end of said axle and commui'iicating with said passages and a stulling box earned by the axle about said tube, substantially as described.

JAS. D. DONOX' A N.

Witnesses: 7

i'IENRY ZELLAnEs, DANIEL H. 'I-IisnAN.

35 truck, a gear loosely mounted on said axle 

